American Indian Movement
Chris Kromm (sjpalmer@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu)
Wed, 5 Feb 1992 13:57:00 CST
I have a question that I'm sure people have a number of responses to: what
exactly is the perception of the American Indian Movement in the minds of
most Native Americans, and people involved in indigenous rights in general?
I've seen the words "AIM clique" pop up a number of times here, with a bit
of derision. I've also noticed the the press often turns to AIM as a sort
of vanguard of Native views, the conscience of Indians. How broad is their
support? Are they the radical fringe? They seem to have an existence
similar to that of the Black Panthers, symbolic and based on high-publicity
confrontation. I've read so much about the leaders (through pamphlets and
via Ward Churchill), but I'm having trouble placing them in any movement
context. If somebody could clue me in . . .
Chris